KYIV. Feb 21 (Interfax) - The United States and Ukraine will coordinate preparations for a meeting on security and strategic stability in Europe between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian foreign minister, said on Monday.
"Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken assured me that, just as it has been before, no decisions regarding Ukraine will be made behind Ukraine's back, and we'll be closely coordinating steps while they prepare this summit so as to synchronize our positions and make sure that our interests are taken into account," Kuleba told journalists before a meeting of the European Union foreign ministers in Brussels.
Kuleba said he had a conversation with Blinken earlier in the day.
"He informed me of the initiative being put forth for a summit between President Biden and President Putin. We welcome this initiative, and we believe any and all diplomatic efforts should be tried," he said.
The French presidential office reported earlier that President Emmanuel Macron proposed that Putin and Biden meet for a summit to address security in Europe, and the parties agreed.
The summit's agenda is to be drawn up by U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting slated for February 24, it said.